Alzheimer's

Definition of Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease is a disease that attacks brain function, causing memory loss and other cognitive functions. This disease develops gradually and gets worse with time. Intellectual and social capacity of people with Alzheimer's will continue to decrease due to damage to brain cells of people with Alzheimer's disease and eventual death.

At first, sufferers of Alzheimer's disease will feel a little confused and will have difficulty remembering conversations or events that just happened. Gradually, sufferers of Alzheimer's disease will experience serious memory problems that can make important people forget their lives, undergo personality changes, and be unable to carry out daily activities.

Families and those closest to the victim will be able to see how the disease is getting worse. At a later stage, this disease can cause complications due to the severity of loss of brain function (such as dehydration, malnutrition, or infection) until the time of loading of the deceased patient.

For now, specific Alzheimer's disease medications and treatment strategies can only help alleviate the symptoms of the disease, even for the time being. So far, there is no drug that can cure Alzheimer's disease. The purpose of handling Alzheimer's disease is to help sufferers function as fully as possible and as long as possible.
Additional explanation
The symptoms

Initially, people with Alzheimer's will suffer from memory loss and will also feel a little confused. Over time, the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease will get worse so that sufferers will forget even the closest people or events that just happened. Alzheimer's symptoms differ from one patient to another. Alzheimer's sufferers generally feel the difference that occurs in it. However, if patients do not feel something, their loved ones, such as family, close friends or colleagues, will feel the change. People with Alzheimer's disease will have difficulty doing daily activities, such as driving, cooking, washing and dressing.

Alzheimer's disease will cause interference with:

• Remember, victims will constantly ask for something unconsciously, forget conversations and agreements (and will not even remember), forget where they are going and regularly forget objects that are placed and are usually placed where they shouldn't be. Victims also find it difficult to find words to describe an object, express their thoughts, or speak in a conversation. In severe cases, the patient will forget his last name and status.

• Think and reason, people with Alzheimer's will have difficulty concentrating and focusing mainly on abstract concepts, such as numbers. People who suffer will have difficulty doing many things at once (doing something or activities at the same time), managing their finances, and paying their bills. This difficulty can eventually become so severe that patients have difficulty recognizing and managing numbers.

• By planning and doing familiar activities, patients have difficulty carrying out routines that require planning, such as cooking, games, etc. Finally, when Alzheimer's disease gets worse, people who suffer will forget how to do basic activities, like washing, clothes, etc.
• Changes in personality and behavior, including:
  
  
  • Mood swings
  • apathetic
  • Depression
  • To withdraw from social life
  • Do not believe anyone
  • Changes in sleep patterns
  • Fast and aggressive
  • drag
  • Loss of self-control, such as doing embarrassing things in public (losing obstacles)
  • Experiment with beliefs about something that is not in accordance with the reality (imagination) that exists, such as believing that something has been stolen. 
  
  The cause
  Scientists assume that Alzheimer's disease comes from genetic, lifestyle and environmental influences that can affect memory and brain function over time. Although the causes of Alzheimer's disease are not well understood, it is certain that this has an effect on brain function. Alzheimer's disease damages and kills brain cells and makes the number of brain cells lower than normal. The more brain cells that die, the more the brain shrinks.
  
  Two types of protein can play a role in the development of Alzheimer's disease, namely:
  
  
  • As a beta-amyloid protein, beta-amyloid is a small part of a larger protein. When the beta-amyloid aggregates clot and become amyloid plaques. These clots have toxic effects on neurons that can interfere with communication between cells.
  
  
  • Tofu protein, Alzheimer's sufferers have tau proteins that change shape and become PH filaments (neurofibrillary tangles). Initially, proteins or functions to support and distribute nutrients and other important ingredients in neurons. However, proteins that are converted into PH filaments are toxic to cells and can interfere with the distribution system of nutrients and other important substances in neurons.
  
  Other factors that can trigger Alzheimer's disease are:
  
  
  • As you get older, the older you are, the higher your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Especially for people who have reached the age of 65 years. However, please note that Alzheimer's disease is not part of the aging process.
  
  
  • In people with Down syndrome, the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease will be higher if someone has Down syndrome.
  
  
  • Family and genetic history, people whose family members suffer from Alzheimer's disease are at high risk of contracting this disease. Gene changes (gene mutations) can also play a role in increasing the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
  
  
  • For people who suffer head injuries, the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease will be higher if a person suffers from a head injury.
  
  
  • Sex, women have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease than men.
  
  
  • Mild cognitive impairment (mild cognitive impairment), people with mild cognitive impairment will be more likely to experience Alzheimer's disease.
  
  
  • Risk factors for heart disease, research shows that factors that can increase a person's risk of heart disease also tend to increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, such as lack of exercise, obesity, active and passive smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and uncontrolled type 2 diabetes .
  
  
  • Poor sleep habits, people who have difficulty falling asleep or falling asleep are more at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. 
  
  
  Diagnosis
  
  Diagnosis is made through:
  
  
  •     Information from sufferers and those around them, describing the symptoms experienced by patients and how these symptoms affect the daily lives of sufferers.
  •     Physical and neurological examination, in the form of examination of reflexes, muscle strength and tone, ability to get up from a chair and walk to the other side of the room, coordination, and balance.
  •     Laboratory tests, blood tests will be done to find out other causes of memory loss and confusion, such as thyroid disorders or vitamin deficiencies.
  •     Examination of mental and neuropsychological status, in the form of examination of memory and thinking ability.
  •     Overview of the brain, tests to see whether there are abnormalities in the brain that might cause changes in brain function, such as tumors, strokes, trauma to the brain, and so on. This test can also be used to see which parts of the brain have changed due to Alzheimer's. The tests used can be in the form of MRI tests, CT scans, PET tests, and so on.
  •     Lumbar puncture, which involves taking cerebrospinal fluid to determine the level of tau and amyloid protein.
  
  Treatment
  
  Until now, no drugs have been found that can treat and cure Alzheimer's disease, but there are medicines that can help reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer's. Some treatments that can be given to help the symptoms experienced by Alzheimer's sufferers are:
  
  
  •     Medication, there are two types of drugs used to help deal with cognitive symptoms that are experienced, namely:
  •         Cholinesterase inhibitors (cholinesterase inhibitors), help improve communication between cells and treat depression and anxiety.
  •         Memantine (Namenda), helps inhibit the development of Alzheimer's and is usually combined with cholinesterase inhibitors.
  
      Therapy, in the form of cognitive simulation therapy (cognitive stimulation therapy) can help to support memory, problem solving skills, and language abilities of sufferers.
  
  If the people closest to you have Alzheimer's, you can help by creating a supportive and safe environment for sufferers. You can also find out about Alzheimer's and always be patient to support and accompany sufferers. Keep in mind, you must not forget to apply techniques in dealing with stress and relaxation, such as yoga, meditation, and so on. Some things you can do are:
  
  
  •     Place medication in a safe location and make a checklist to monitor medications and doses taken by patients.
  •     Always make an appointment on the same day and time.
  •     Dispose of furniture or objects that are not used.
  •     Set financial payments and deposits to be automatic.
  •     Always place keys, wallets, cellphones, and other valuables in the same place at home so they don't get lost.  
  
  
  • Provide mobile phones with location features so that caregivers of patients can monitor the location of patients, also include important numbers in the patient's cellphone contact.
  •     Install a sturdy handle on the stairs and bathroom.
  •     Always ensure that the patient carries an identification card or bracelet that can give a signal to the medical authorities.
  •     Put photos or objects that are meaningful around the house.
  •     Using a calendar or blackboard to manage the patient's daily schedule at home, form a habit in the patient to always check the things that have been resolved.
  •     Make sure the shoes or sandals that the patient uses are comfortable enough and not slippery.
  •     Reduce the number of mirrors in the house, because the shadows on the mirror can confuse and frighten Alzheimer's sufferers.
  •     Remind sufferers to eat and drink, if the sufferer is difficult to eat, you can change the type of food into liquid and high calorie form.
  •     Accompany and help sufferers to exercise regularly.
  •     Always interact with sufferers or bring sufferers to communities with people who have experienced the same thing so patients can socialize.
  •     Do hobbies or activities that can increase the pleasure of sufferers with sufferers, such as painting, reading, and so on.
  
  Prevention
  
  There is no effective way to prevent Alzheimer's disease. However, you can adopt a healthy lifestyle to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's, such as exercising regularly, adopting a diet that is fresh and low in fat, following the care given if you have diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure, and stopping smoking .
  Doctor Information
  When to Consult with a Doctor?
  
  If you or people close to you experience a decrease in memory or brain function, or experience the symptoms listed above, consult your doctor and other mental health experts immediately.
  What needs to be prepared before consulting a doctor?
  
  Before consulting with doctors and other mental health experts, you can prepare a history of the medical condition, contacts of the medical team to be consulted, all medications and substances consumed, a list of symptoms experienced, and questions that will be asked to doctors and mental health experts.
  What will the doctor do when consulting?
  
  Doctors and other mental health experts can ask a number of questions, such as:
  
  
  •     Are you having trouble doing your usual activities, such as managing finances or shopping?
  •     Does anyone notice a change in yourself?
  •     Do you have more energy than usual, less than usual, or the same?
  •     What medicines, vitamins or supplements do you consume?
  •     Do you drink alcohol? How many?
  •     Are you having trouble remembering something? When did you notice?
  •     Are your symptoms getting worse or sometimes getting better?
  •     How is your mood? Do you feel more depressed, anxious, or sad than usual?
  •     Have you ever lost your way while driving or in a familiar location?
  •     Have you ever had a hearing and vision test recently?
  •     Do you do anything while you sleep, like hitting, kicking and so on? Do you snore while you sleep?
  •     Do you have difficulty remembering meetings with the medical team or forgetting to take medication?
  •     Do any of your family members have memory problems? Or is there a member of your family diagnosed with Alzheimer's or dementia?
  •     Have you ever been trembling or having trouble getting up?
  •     Have people around you ever expressed concern with the way you drive?
  •     Have you ever noticed the changes in the way you respond to events or people around you?

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